stop me and steal my breath
by the inversed butterfly
Summary: Naruto knew from the start that Sakura would never be his. — NarutoSakuraSasuke


** disclaimer:** I do not own the song or _Naruto_. Try guessing the song though. And I hope you guys like this.  
>Naruto-centric/ Team-seven-ish. NaruSakuSasu.

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><p><em>"And Emeralds from mountains thrust toward the sky,<br>never revealing their depth"_

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><p>Naruto knew from the start that Sakura would never be his.<p>

.

.

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Sasuke was always the best._ The most skilled and favored one. _Kakashi loved him and Sakura did too. _(there is no denying this, because it will always be true)_

_butwhataboutNaruto, do you love him too?_

And when, _he_ leaves and you find her crying your heart breaks and you suddenly just can't take it any longer. You tell her- _promise her_- that you'll save him, bring him back, but you _know_ that's impossible, because Sasuke has been long gone now.

He joins Orochimaru on the path of revenge, to become strong enough to defeat his brother _(oh, but if he only knew the __**truth**__) _and you feel absolutely helpless, because Sakura is gone and Sasuke has always been gone, _so where do you lie?_

Sakura is a wreck and Ino constantly tries to cheer her up, but nothing works. After a while, everyone starts to leave her. And it hurts you, because you are one of those people. Kakashi starts to go off on secret "missions" and you decide to go abroad and train with Jiraiya _(because you're so weak and you couldn't - weren't good enough to save the people you love)_

And she starts to think that no one cares about her, _and you want to tell her you love her but you can't, _but she doesn't think of you that way and maybe you're okay with that because you're used to the pain after all.

_"you are weakweakweak"_

It's been three years since then and you think that maybe everything _had changed_. Sakura has already blossomed. She is sixteen and beautiful. She is the hokage's apprentice and so _strongstrongstrong._

And when you see her for the first time _in three years_, you smile. And maybe... just maybe she could-

They both don't talk about him, but they know the unsaid words that lie between them.

.

.

.

You guys are close. Brother and sister close and everything is perfect, but sometimes you want more. You want to love her and be loved by her, but you know that he's still there in her heart. You want to hug her close and whisper little sweet things. You want to cuddle and see her next to you when you wake up in the morning.

You want to see _your_ ring on _her_ finger.

_(but, you know that'll never happen)_

You start accepting the fact that she's _his_ and it'll stay that way forever. Because Sakura-chan is loyal and her love for _Sasuke-kunSasuke-kunSasuke-kun_ is unwavering. It's a leap of faith and she's willing to risk all her chances.

.

.

.

You don't know what's going through her head when _he _almost kills her.

It's the first 'reunion' of the _original_ team 7, but it isn't like a reunion at all. Sasuke is definitely crazy now, but he's still your best friend and somewhere underneath all the madness, he's there. Waiting to be saved.

He tells her to kill the red-haired girl, to prove her loyalty, but you know she can't do it. As much as _Sakura-chan's_ strong, much much more than before, you know she just _won't _do it.

You also know that she was trying to kill Sasuke. It was her true intention. She's blinded by the rage and all the chaos he's caused. She tired of waiting and everything else that he influences her to do, unknowingly. _You're_ tired of waiting. Even if you know that you were meant to wait forever.

You are angry at Sasuke, for attempting to kill Sakura. _Sakura_. The girl who loved him from the start and cared for him throughout everything that has happened lately. The girl, despite her attempts of killing him as well, believed and had hope.

She is the light, the brightness, what holds the team together, even if they are far apart. She is the bond, the string that holds them together, tightly.

He tries to catch her off guard, but you won't let anything happen to her. You save her just in time. You know you're late and you shouldn't have been, but you're here and that's what matters right?

He misses, but gets your cheek and it hurts. It's like that small burning pain, but it's nothing compared to everything else you've felt.

Kakashi starts to fight and you bring Sakura somewhere safe, but she is in shock. Her eyes are open and the tears are threatning to fall. You become angry because she hasn't cried since ... well, since he _left_. It pisses you off that she has become so vulnerable, nothing like the strong Sakura and it's all_ his fault_.

_(right? right? )_

You shout and attack Sasuke and he dodges. There is his fire clashing against your wind and the battle begins.

.

.

.

_"W-why couldn't I_

_do it? Why c-couldn't I kill_

_Sasuke, Naruto?"_

_"..."_

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After then, it's still chaos. There's the problems with Pein and the Akatsuki. and everything else. but Sakura still doesn't talk and everything they've built up has fallen apart again.

You hate it, you really do, but you could never hate Sasuke _that much_. He's like your brother. You understand the pain he goes through and you guys could _relate_.

but Sakura.

She understands too.

.

.

_"I'll be-  
>the greatest<br>fan of your  
><em>_life." _

.

.

You're shocked when she says those three words.

The one's you've been craving for since forever. The ones you've been dying to hear since you were young and the little crush you had on dear _Sakura-chan!_ wasn't nearly as great as it is now.

She says it, with that cute little blush she only used on Sasuke. _used it_.

For you. Naruto Uzumaki.

You are shocked and you think that maybe you could have that happy ending with her. When everything is done and finished and if you make it out of the stupid mess that's happening.

but then. You don't know why but you are angry.

_"Naruto.._

_I-I.. love you"_

_"Stop lying!"_

She tells you that you don't have to save Sasuke anymore and that the _promise_ could be forgotten.

_"Don't worry, _

_I'll save him! _

_Dattebayo!"_

That promise wasn't meant for her, only, though. Maybe at the time, but _over_ time, you've gotten to understand why you've had done it in the first place. It was for you.

You wanted to save Sasuke too.

.

.

.

It is 4 months later, the friendship between you guys is no more, but he comes back.

He's back.

In the flesh.

Though, unwillingly, it is suspicious as to why he is staying. You would've thought that he would run away or escape again, but he doesn't and you wonder why.

The next day, he is walking Sakura to work and she punches him the shoulder. It doesn't waver him, or even hurt him, but it doesn't hurt her either and she just walks away.

After, he's always there with flowers or something gooey and mushy. Totally un-Sasuke-like. And you wonder _why now?_ Does he want to revive his clan so soon?

You are full of jealousy, but you just want best for Sakura. You want her to be happy. And Sasuke just brings her utter sadness and tragedy.

You don't- never- like seeing her cry.

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.

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It's been a week and she has finally given in. She still loves him and maybe in time he'll learn to love her back. But where does that put you? You are Naruto. And you love Sakura. But she loves Sasuke and possibly, he might like her back.

It hurts to know this and you'd wish that it turned out differently.

But you're _Naruto_. You've always known from the start,_ she'snotyours she'snotyours, _and maybe you're okay with that.

_(after all, I've had years of getting used to it)_

.

.

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It's a year later or something and she has a ring on her finger. She is gleaming with happiness and she is just _so damn_ beautiful, but she's not yours. She wears the Uchiha emblem _proudly_ on her sleeves and her husband locks his arms around her waist, lovingly. She is bubbling with chatter while he quietly listens and you are on the sidelines watching quietly, being the happy-go-lucky teammate that everybody loves.

She doesn't know of your true feelings. Neither does Sasuke, but something tells you that he knows.

It is unrequited, but you love her enough for the both of you.

_("Naruto! Hurry up,  
>the shop's going to close"<em>

_"H-huh? Oh! Wait up, guys!"_

_"Hmph. Dobe")_

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><p><em>"I'll be your crying shoulder,<br>I'll be love's suicide"_


End file.
